Telum recently caught up with Umesh Nair, who was recently appointed as the Deputy Managing Director at Redhill. He shares with us more about his new role, tech trends and what we can expect from Redhill in 2022.

Congratulations on being appointed the Deputy Managing Director - can you share more about your new role?
Thank you, I am excited to join the growing Redhill team. In my current role, I am responsible for managing our technology clients and supporting other practices and regions in growing our deep tech portfolio. Given the nature of the tech sector, I will also get a lot of interface with some of our late-stage startups, VCs and PEs. I will also be working closely with the senior leadership team to develop products and solutions that will allow us to differentiate from the rest and oversee Redhill’s Malaysia operations.     

In your own words, how has technology revolutionised communications?
Technology has led to many changes in the industry. It has broadened our accessibility but made our jobs more complex. On one hand, it has become a lot easier for communications professionals to measure the real impact of their efforts, reach our audiences more precisely and create more personalised ecosystems – to deliver more unique experiences. On the flip side, it has made our jobs and responsibilities more complex because we deal with rising instances of misinformation and polarising issues across our clients’ businesses.  

What's a tech trend that we need to watch as communicators, especially in SEA?
There are a lot of exciting trends emerging, including more mature applications of AI, enterprise 5G, eco-friendly technology solutions, and, of course, more immersive digital experiences. With the emergence of these trends, we can also expect to see disinformation undermining trust and amplifying fears. In such an environment, the role of communicators in governance and fighting misinformation will become crucial. Building trust through transparent public communication, supporting policy, and fighting misinformation will become the most critical functions of communicators.  

What other changes can we expect from Redhill in 2022?
It is the best time to be at Redhill. What started as a two-member agency has become a network of 21 offices across 17 countries with over 130 people. Redhill celebrated its seventh anniversary in October 2021. Redhill grew by almost 50% in the last year alone and hired 59 new employees while signing on key clients across verticals. We also launched Redhill Studio, which combines creative design with digital expertise. Our focus is to continue strengthening our network, growing our teams and working with world-class clients, and we are only getting started!